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Old Fashioned Devil’s Food Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 655 reviews

This old fashioned Devil’s Food Cake features a rich, moist chocolate cake made with cocoa powder and hot coffee to enhance the chocolate flavor. It is layered with a luscious semi-sweet chocolate frosting made from heavy cream, corn syrup, and butter, delivering a classic decadent dessert perfect for any chocolate lover.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (270 grams)
  • 1 cup unsweetened non-alkalized cocoa powder (85 grams)
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (113 grams)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed (106 grams)
  • 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (64 grams)
  • 1 cup sour cream, room temperature (245 grams)
  • 1 cup hot freshly brewed coffee (245 grams)

Frosting

  • 16 ounces high-quality semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (60%-62%)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 3 and 1/2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 16 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Prepare pans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round baking pans with non-stick spray, line bottoms with parchment paper, and spray parchment as well. Set aside.
  2. Sift dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Cream butter and sugars: Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or handheld mixer, beat butter at medium speed about 1 minute until smooth. Gradually add granulated and brown sugars, beating until incorporated. Increase speed to high and beat about 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping bowl as needed.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla: Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides as needed. Add vanilla and beat to combine.
  5. Combine oil and sour cream: In a measuring cup, mix oil and sour cream together.
  6. Add flour and sour cream mixtures: On lowest mixer speed, add flour in three parts alternated with sour cream mixture in two parts, beating just until combined. Some streaks of flour may remain.
  7. Add hot coffee: Pour hot coffee into batter and let sit undisturbed 30 seconds. Gently fold with a spatula until evenly combined.
  8. Fill pans and bake: Divide batter evenly (~850 grams each) into prepared pans. Smooth tops. Bake 38-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool cakes: Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack 20 minutes. Then invert onto rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
  10. Prepare frosting – chop chocolate: Finely chop chocolate and place in bowl fitted with whisk attachment.
  11. Heat cream and corn syrup: In small saucepan, heat heavy cream and corn syrup over medium-high heat just below boiling. Remove from heat and pour over chopped chocolate.
  12. Melt chocolate: Let sit 2 minutes undisturbed. Stir gently until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and glossy. Stir in vanilla extract.
  13. Add butter to frosting: On medium mixer speed, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Beat in salt.
  14. Chill frosting: Refrigerate frosting loosely covered for about 1 hour or until spreadable. Can be made up to 24 hours ahead; bring to room temperature before use.
  15. Level and slice cake layers: Using serrated knife, trim domed tops from cakes to flatten. Slice each cake horizontally in half to yield 4 even layers. Reserve scraps for decoration.

Notes

  • Use room temperature ingredients for best mixing and texture.
  • Non-alkalized cocoa powder provides a sharper chocolate flavor and reacts better with baking soda.
  • Hot coffee intensifies the chocolate taste without making the batter watery.
  • Let frosting come to room temperature before spreading for easier application.
  • Store unfrosted cake layers wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
  • Use high-quality chocolate between 60%-62% cocoa for a balanced semi-sweet flavor in frosting.
  • If you prefer, substitute the vegetable oil with canola or light olive oil for a neutral taste.

Keywords: Devil's Food Cake, chocolate cake, classic chocolate dessert, homemade chocolate cake, rich chocolate frosting

Find it online: https://spiceupwithsophie.com/old-fashioned-devils-food-cake-recipe/